Rewatched Josh Heupel QB highlights from 2000 NC season

[engineer24]

All I can say is wow this guy was even better than I remember!

Heupel saw the field by far better than any OU QB in history. He ALWAYS knew the right place to throw the ball. Furthermore, his accuracy was incredible. Finally, he was actually a very mobile QB. I rewatched the OU/TExas game in 2000 and Heupel scrambled for 17 yards and a first down when nothing was open downfield. Landry Jones and Sam Bradford would have taken sacks on those plays.

Heupel also ran a few option plays. He also did a lot of 3rd and short QB keepers to pick up first downs.

Sam Bradford had a better deep ball than Heupel, but he wasnt able to check down on 3 or 4 reads like Heupel was. Furthermore Bradford's pocket awareness was much much worse than Heupels. Any pressure at all and he folded.

[OU_Sooners75]

So that equates to being a great OC?

[olevetonahill]

So that equates to being a great OC?

Tim. Where the **** he say ANYTRHING about Josh being an OC? I read it as how Dayum Good Josh was as a QB

[SOONER44EVER]

I wish Josh could teach Bell to be even close to that good. Unfortunately I just don't think the talent is there.

[OU_Sooners75]

So that equates to being a great OC?

Tim. Where the **** he say ANYTRHING about Josh being an OC? I read it as how Dayum Good Josh was as a QB

We all know that! He was a heck of a QB.


And sarcasm seems to fly by some.

[olevetonahill]

We all know that! He was a heck of a QB.


And sarcasm seems to fly by some.

You were being Sarcastic? I thot ya was exercisin on the Trampoline Of Jumping to conclusions. :panda:

[cleller]

Never before or since have I felt the confidence in a QB to get the job done than Josh in 2000.

3rd and 12? No big deal.

[Jason White's Third Knee]

The most freakish thing about Heupel that I remember was his ability to capitalize on a stunt or blitz. If you blitzed him, he would burn your *** for a TD. It was like clockwork. He did it so often that I got good at reading the blitz and mentally tossing it to the guy in man coverage.

[SoonerMarkVA]

The most freakish thing about Heupel that I remember was his ability to capitalize on a stunt or blitz. If you blitzed him, he would burn your *** for a TD. It was like clockwork. He did it so often that I got good at reading the blitz and mentally tossing it to the guy in man coverage.

There was some quote from Snyder in 2000 (don't remember exactly what it was) but it was something like, "Our defensive game plan was, [Heupel] can't beat us if he's on his back. Turned out he can."

Also, a huge play to neutralize the blitz was that shuttle pass to Q. Man, I wish we hadn't completely discarded that play. It was so beautiful. Finch would be perfect for it; the D wouldn't even know if he was whiffing on the block or it was intentional :)

[PrideMom]

I would always hear people saying Heupel was not very athletic, but I think it was because he was left-handed, that it looked awkward. But it was his mind and vision of the field that was amazing. He was not our tallest QB, but I think he could sum up who was not covered and zip that ball in the right place. He also would settle for the short gains, knowing he could get the down on the next play. He was also the master of changing the cadence call and getting free play from the defense's off sides.

[Position Limit]

too bad he doesn't have any highlights as an offensive coordinator. great, mike leach found a spread qb to run through a conference that had never seen a spread offensive before. brilliant!!!!

[SoonerKnight]

too bad he doesn't have any highlights as an offensive coordinator. great, mike leach found a spread qb to run through a conference that had never seen a spread offensive before. brilliant!!!!

Seriously guy you need to chill with this ****!!!

[jkjsooner]

I definitely remember the option plays (not many but just enough) and I don't really understand why we got rid of the shovel/shuttle pass.

Heupel did have some bad games in 1999. I remember the CU game that year not being great. In 2000 he either had great games or at least protected the ball.

Clearly the Big 12 defenses have become accustomed to facing spread offenses and even by the end of 2000 teams like A&M had adjusted.

Still, Josh was a master at QB. I tend to rank White and Bradford higher because they had stronger arms but Heupel had all the intangibles.

[jkjsooner]

Here's a side question. Rank the OU QB's under Stoops.

My ranking leaving off our current QB's as they haven't played enough.

1. White
2. Bradford
3. Heupel
...
...
4. Jones
5. Hybl
...
...
6. Bomar (once he settled down)
7. Thompson

I put ... where I think there was a big gap. I know Thompson will be ranked higher by some but I just never saw it. He couldn't hit the ocean if it were 30 or more yards away (cost us some games) and the conference championship wasn't really PT's doing.


One other thing, I know most will say Bradford >> White but I just don't see it. For whatever reason people forget Bradford's bad games and rank White lower because he had less NFL potential. White is the only guy who led us to two consecutive undefeated regular seasons.

[JiminyChristmas]

Not only was the shovel pass to Q a consistently good play, but I remember Josh throwing to Trent Smith quite a bit. Wasn't that the game winner basically in the championship game against KSt? You would think the TE would be something he would really want to have in his offense now.

Also, Josh tore an ACL in college prior to coming to OU. I wonder if that makes him hesitant to run his QB more. But definitely it is easy to forget about Josh's scrambling ability when he actually was pretty darn effective at it.

[OU_Sooners75]

We all know that! He was a heck of a QB.


And sarcasm seems to fly by some.

You were being Sarcastic? I thot ya was exercisin on the Trampoline Of Jumping to conclusions. :panda:

Not this time...lol

[Wishboned]

Not only was the shovel pass to Q a consistently good play, but I remember Josh throwing to Trent Smith quite a bit. Wasn't that the game winner basically in the championship game against KSt? You would think the TE would be something he would really want to have in his offense now.

Also, Josh tore an ACL in college prior to coming to OU. I wonder if that makes him hesitant to run his QB more. But definitely it is easy to forget about Josh's scrambling ability when he actually was pretty darn effective at it.


I might be looking back with colored lenses but it seemed like Trent Smith was automatic on third downs.

[sooneron]

Josh also benefitted from a stout defense. They gave up more than 16 points to TWO opponents. That's it. TWO.

Josh's numbers were generally better in 99. In 2000, he had a td to int 20/15. That's almost laughable. Landry would have been run out of town with pitchforks with that ratio. He was 30-11. Oh the difference a defense makes... Of course, the times are a changing. Everyone is implementing a version of the spread. Shutting down a pro-style offense seems like easy peesy lemon squeezy....

[Curly Bill]

Anybody know how many concussions Heupel may have suffered during his career? Might explain how as an OC he's forgotten most of the things that worked for him as a QB.

[VA Sooner]

That's something we've lacked lately are some good tight ends who can block and catch...

[Widescreen]

JJosh's numbers were generally better in 99. In 2000, he had a td to int 20/15.

Yeah, it's weird to look back at that because he was a truly awesome QB but his #'s his senior year weren't spectacular.